Africa

Following a coup in Niger, the West African economic bloc has again resorted to sanctions against a member state. In the past, these have often proved ineffective, revealing the alliance’s weakness.

Supporters of Niger's junta planned a march in the capital Niamey on Thursday to protest sanctions and demand the departure of French troops, which are stationed in Niger to help it fight an Islamist insurgency.

As the United Nations Security Council convenes, global food insecurity takes center stage with a looming crisis threatening vulnerable populations.

A team from the West African bloc left without fulfilling scheduled meetings and plans. Meanwhile, the country's ousted president warned that his country's security was at risk amid the junta rule.

Twenty people died when a boat capsized in Ugandan waters on Lake Victoria on Wednesday morning, police said as rescuers and local residents searched for survivors. "So far 20 people have been confirmed dead, and nine (9) rescued," the Uganda police force said on Twitter, which is being rebranded as X.

West African regional bloc ECOWAS sent a delegation to Niger on Wednesday to negotiate with the military officers who seized power in last week's coup, while regional defence chiefs met in neighbouring Nigeria.

The European Union said it was suspending all aid to Niger with immediate effect after General Abdourahamane Tchiani declared himself the leader of the country in a coup. The bloc will also stop all security cooperation.

While several of Niger's neighbors have vowed to back the junta, the West African bloc ECOWAS has given the leaders one week to end the coup. Meanwhile, hundreds of European nationals have begun evacuating from Niger.

Senegal blocks TikTok in widening clampdown on dissent

As the first few hundred French and European nationals are evacuated from coup-hit Niger, the military governments of Mali and Burkina Faso say any foreign armed intervention in Niamey will be treated as a declaration of war against them all. Also, two protesters are killed in demonstrations that erupted in Senegal after opposition figure Ousmane Sonko was jailed on Monday.

Internal power struggles, lack of trust and cohesive unity have contributed to fragmentation of opposition outfits in some African nations. These challenges— according to political analysts— have made it difficult for most opposition parties to effectively promote democracy.

Central African Republic voted on a constitutional referendum on Sunday which, if it passes, could remove a presidential term limit and allow President Faustin-Archange Touadera to run for a third term in 2025. Touadera was first elected in 2016 for a five-year term and won reelection in 2020 for what was supposed to be his final term in office.